HR 2600
Passed a chamber
Requires NASA to set up a program that buys commercial satellite Earth imagery and data for scientific, operational, and educational uses, and to share that data widely.
Official title: ASCEND Act
Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions
House
Introduced
02-APR-2025
Referred
02-APR-2025
Approved by committee
29-APR-2025
Reported
20-FEB-2026
On the calendar
20-FEB-2026
Passed
23-FEB-2026
Senate
Received
24-FEB-2026
- Creates a NASA program within the Earth Science Division to acquire and distribute commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery, supplementing NASA's own observations and those of other agencies and international partners.
- Bars vendor contract terms from blocking the publication of commercial data for scientific purposes or of information derived from or enhancing that data.
- Lets NASA set end-use license terms allowing the widest possible use by people other than NASA-funded users, and directs that vendors be United States companies to the maximum extent practicable.
- Requires NASA to report to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee within 180 days and annually after, listing agreements, vendors, license terms, and uses.
Covers an older version. The newest CRS summary describes the bill as of "Introduced in House" (02-APR-2025); the text has changed since (Engrossed in House, 23-FEB-2026).
CRS is the Library of Congress's nonpartisan research office. Read it on congress.govScience, Technology, Communications
■ 4 D■ 2 R
4 Democrats
2 Republicans